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Auto extortion continues unabated
Midas-touch transport minister Anjan Dutta deserves bouquets for turning around the fortunes of the defunct Assam State Transport Corporation. Unfortunately, he, too, has failed to turn the wheels of the autorickshaws of Guwahati.
The autorickshaws are, even today, flouting government orders to collect metered fares from the commuters. Last month Dutta announced that a special cell has been formed to strictly monitor the implementation of fare meters. But commuters are yet to find any evidence of the functioning of the cell. Last week, a trip from Beltola to Ulubari cost me Rs 80. The auto-driver, no doubt, flagged down the meter when I boarded the vehicle, but at the time of payment he refused to accept the metered rate. I was literally forced to pay what he demanded. Will such extortion continue forever? If so, the autorickshaws should be ordered to take off meters from their vehicles. At least the commuters can then graduate from being robbed to negotiating.
K. Beeren,
Guwahati
Travelling to Guwahati via Rangiya or Bongaigaon on train can be a nightmare.
It takes anything from half-an-hour to one-and-a-half hours for the train to reach Guwahati railway station from Kamakhya, even though it is actually a 15-minute journey.
It appears that the railway babus who allot the platform to an incoming train are not so efficient and dedicated or are unable to do a quick and effective job because of logistics problem. This can be horrible for passengers from Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Dadar and so on, who are already heavily fatigued due to the late-running of the trains.
The North East Frontier Railway should try to have more concern and empathy for rail passengers. Maybe strong measures need to be taken to correct this. Recording of the time taken for every train to travel between Kamakhya and Guwahati should be ensured by an independent authority and the matter reviewed fortnightly by the general manager and explanations for inordinate delay should be called for from all persons concerned.
Also, the menace of chain-pulling in the section between Kamakhya and Guwahati is as rampant as ever. If the NFR can tackle so many complex issues, how come they are faltering in overcoming such a simple problem. Why not have some special train marshals or GRP force in this section?
F. Antonio,
Rukminigaon,
Guwahati
The political situation in Meghalaya is so dismal that the people are reluctant to take part in the forthcoming polls.
However, several organisations like the Hynniewtrep Endeavour Society (HES) have, of late, been trying to change the scene by organising discussions on the political scene in the state. This is a new step for a social organisation and certainly bodes well for the state. However, nothing will really change if people of integrity do not join politics. Voters can choose only when they are given a option between good and bad, not bad and worse. But then, unless a change in mindset is created and the influence of money power reduced, good people are unlikely to come forward.
R.K. Sangma
Tura
Two of the Congress party’s major votebanks in Assam — the tea tribes and the minority community — are up in arms against the Tarun Gogoi government, which they feel has neglected their interests.
This means that the future of the party, whose traditional supporters are gradually alienating themselves, is at stake. It is also a clear indication of the poor functioning of a government that is yet to complete two years in office. No doubt the chief minister is hamstrung by financial as well as personal health problems, but one does not expect such poor management skills from a seasoned politician as Gogoi. It is high time that the chief minister thought of appointing a deputy — at least in the interests of the state, if not the party.
Prithviraj Kakati,
Dibrugarh
Apropos the news item “DNA report deals blow to Barnali case” (The Telegraph northeast, December 4), The Telegraph deserves kudos for following the case with sincerity and placing all facts before the readers.
The rape-murder of eight-year-old Barnali in July shook society out of a somnolent state and triggered intense protests among all sections. However, what the people need to protest against now is the callous attitude of the forensic doctors, which had led to the loss of vital evidence.
The much-awaited DNA test has turned out to be “inconclusive” since the body of the victim was washed with a copious quantity of water before the post-mortem was conducted. No doubt strong circumstantial evidence still exists to nail the guilty, but then legal loopholes are also aplenty.
The DNA test could have tightened the case, but unfortunately the doctors were not sensitive enough to appreciate the magnitude of the crime committed on the minor girl. Conducting post-mortem on a body covered with human excreta is no doubt hard, but they should have accepted it as a professional hazard.
Trinayana Sharma,
Guwahati
Not only lawyers, even the people of the Northeast are angry over the recent transfer of two tainted judges to the Gauhati High Court (“Lawyers fume over another judge transfer”, The Telegraph northeast, December 2).
One of the judges is allegedly involved in a job-for-cash scam while another is involved in a sex scandal. But is this anything new? Even earlier, the region has been used as a dumping ground for persona non grata from the administration. As it is, any transfer to the Northeast is regarded as “punishment posting”. Now it is the turn of the Gauhati High Court. The recent case of transfer of judges here is only a reflection of the stepmotherly attitude of what is referred to as the “mainland”. No wonder the region has alienated itself from the rest of the country.
Nirmal Chakravarty
Digboi
This refers to the news item “Coffee board plans cafe chain” (The Telegraph northeast, November 21) where the chairperson of the coffee board, Lakshmi Venkatachalam, is reported to have said that the board is planning to set up cafes across the Northeast.
The board would like to clarify that the chairperson did not say that the board planned to open coffee cafes by itself in the Northeast, or for that matter anywhere in the country. She only said that the board would play the role of facilitator in helping entrepreneurs in the country to come forward to open coffee cafes wherever possible.
Director of Promotion,
Coffee Board
Bangalore
Camp: Shillong
